British jihadists the most 'vicious and vociferous' fighters in Iraq, expert warns

Britons who have joined Isis are recruiting on more young men on social media,
an expert on radicalisation warns as he says British nationals in Iraq are
acting as suicide bombers and operating as executioners

A still from the video purportedly showing James Foley before being executed

British jihadists who have joined Isis forces in Iraq the most "vicious and vociferous fighters" in the organisation's ranks an expert on terrorists has warned.

Extremist British Muslims who have travelled to the region are taking part in the conflict in "every way" Shiraz Maher, from King's College London's International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation said.

“We have seen British fighters out there are acting as suicide bombers, operating as executioners,” he said.

He warned that more and more young British men were being "seduced" by high profile apparent victories for Isis and are "propelled" to go out there by the terrorist's propaganda.

It comes as Isis released a video in which a militant speaking English with a London accent beheads a man they claim is American journalist James Foley, who was kidnapped in Syria two years ago.

In the video a black-clothed masked man accuses America of plotting against Muslims and interfering in their affairs, before beheading his victim.

Mr Maher said that alongside such high-profile executions and attacks day to day contact on social media with British jihadists who had joined Isis was "humanising" the force to disaffected young people.

He added: “We are also seeing on social media the ability of people who are out there to communicate without others back in the west to say I am just like you. I was 18 or 20, I have just done my A Levels, if I can make it here you can make it here.

"That element of direct interaction with fighters... they have been humanised with their experiences out there with the people who look up to them.

He said while films such as the beheading “dehumanised” Isis to most people, "to those who are attracted to this idea it makes it makes it that much more real and feasible.”

William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, has said the Government had been "absolutely aware" that significant numbers of British nationals have been involved in "terrible crimes, probably in the commission of atrocities" in the conflict.

He said: "This is something we’ve been tracking and dealing with for many, many months. And I don’t think this video changes anything. It just heightens awareness of the situation which is very grave and which we’ve been working on for many months.

“We spend a lot of time and energy tracking social media, tracking what’s going on the internet, and taking down offensive and dangerous material.

"But, and I understand this particular video has been taken down once but it’s been reposted, but the agencies on both sides of the Atlantic will be putting significant effort into trying to minimise the distribution of this kind of material.”